Helping Hand
by Herochick007
Summary: After a string of bad luck, friends falling out on him, Remus is alone on the streets. When a woman offers him a meal, could it lead to more? Homeless AU


**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

**This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

**Writing Club November**

**Trope of the Month: 5 - Setting: Coffee-shop**

**Liza's Loves: 11 - Dr. Seuss - Quote: "**__**Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." **__

_**Film Festival: **___**11 - **___**(plot point) raising money for something**_

_**Word count: 939**_

He looked up at the people walking past.

"Please, sir, could you spare a coin?" he asked, begged really. It had been so long since he'd had a hot meal. The man walked right past ignoring him completely. He leaned back against the building. No one wanted to help, and he couldn't blame them. He looked a sight in his tattered and dirty clothing. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a shower or a bath. He'd been on the street since school had ended.

All his friends had had jobs lined up. He'd gotten sick, something bad. It had changed his life, showed him just how loyal they were when he had nothing left, when he was nothing any more. They had tried, but in the end, he was out here begging and they... well, he didn't know where they were any more. He'd heard Sirius was in jail for murder. James had married Lily and moved away. Peter had disappeared off the face of the Earth. Sometimes Remus wondered if Peter was out here somewhere too, but he'd never encountered him at the camps.

"Hey, you hungry?" a female voice asked. He looked up and into a pair of honey colored eyes. He'd never seen such warmth before.

"Yes," he whispered wondering if she was just going laugh at him. Why was she even talking to him? A girl like her, she was obviously younger, would never be caught dead talking to a creature like him.

"Well then, come on. I've got a two for one coupon for the coffee shop over on Fifth street. I can't eat two meals myself, and you look like you need one. Would you like to come have dinner with me?" she asked giving him a smile. He couldn't help but notice how perfect her teeth were. Slowly he stood up, grabbed his hat. It was empty. He put it on his head and followed the girl.

"I'm Hermione by the way, what's your name?"

"Remus. Remus Lupin."

"Would you prefer Remus or Mr. Lupin?" she asked walking along with him. She didn't seem to care that he was filthy or smelled. She treated him as though he were any other man. Her kindness confused him. Maybe she belonged to one of the churches? They liked to take pity on the homeless.

"Remus is fine."

"I've been watching you, Remus, on and off. You're usually on this corner, sometimes on Market Street. You never harass the people, you ask, get your answer and let it go. I've never seen you with a bottle."

"I don't drink. I had a friend who thought that was the answer to everything, I never saw it that way. No, chocolate was my addiction."

"Well, this place has the best chocolate cake!" Hermione stated opening the door and holding it for Remus.

"The usual table, Miss Granger?" a waitress asked.

"Yes, please, and I've got a guest today. This is Remus," Hermione stated, her voice hard as nails showing that no one was to mess with Remus. He smiled slightly. This was the first time anyone had stood up for him since he'd lost everything.

"Very well then. This way please." The pair was seated at a booth. Hermione handed Remus a menu.

"What do you recommend? You've obviously been here before."

"The BLT is good, their calzones are amazing if you eat bread."

"I do, so what's the catch? A pretty girl, a free meal, what's the catch? Are you with a church?"

"No, nothing like that, I promise. I've been through something, something that changed me. I fought a rare disease, I won, as you can see. I promised that if I survived I would find a way to make a difference in someone's life. I chose you."

"Why?"

"Because, I think you can be helped. Most people I see they're just looking for their next fix, you're not. How'd you end up out here anyway?"

"A series of bad luck mostly. Like you, I got sick, cancer, the big one you know. They cured me, well, remission."

"Then what?"

"My friends, I thought they were my friends, they stopped coming around. We drifted apart, different life goals. I ended up here."

"What are you goals now, Remus? What do you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know, no one's ever asked me that. I used to love wolves, wanted to study them."

"What's stopping you now?"

"No address, no home, no phone. No one's going to hire a homeless man, but less give him a chance to prove himself."

"You're a good man, aren't you? One that's fallen on hard times. I've got a bit of a habit of bringing home strays. I mean, it's a couch and a shower, if you're interested."

"Really? Food and shelter, what are you an angel."

"No, I'm just a girl who wants to save the world, one man at a time," Hermione answered giving Remus a smile. "You in?"

"You know, normally I'd be leery of this. It seems too good to be true, but you, there's something about you, Hermione, something that I feel I can trust. Alright, I'm in."

"Great, here comes our food. We'll figure out the details, and maybe, just maybe you'll be working with the wolves before you know it," Hermione stated taking a bite of her sandwich glad Remus had accepted her help. Ever since she'd learned about him, found the picture of him in the school year book, she'd been fascinated. Now, her interest might do more than satisfy her curiosity, it might just save a life.


End file.
